Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



Patented Get. 28, 1924.

vNl iED -STTES TENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. OCONNOR, OF CHCAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0

' W. H. MINEFI, INC., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

FRICTION SHOCK-ABSORBING MECHANISI.

Application lled December 22, 1922. Serial No. 608,394.

To all /w/Lom t may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois7 haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Friction YShock-Absorbing Mechanisms, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in friction shock absorbing mechanisms.

rlhe object of the invention is to provide a simple. and relatively inexpensive high capacity friction shock absorbing mechanism, especially adapted for railway draft riggings, and wherein are provided large frictional wearing areas, to the end that the pressure per unit of friction area may be maintained at a relatively low figure.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification7 Figure 1 is a. horizontal longitudinal sectional view of a portion of a railway draft rigging Vshowing my improvements in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the shock absorbing mechanism proper. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, with the outer wedge shoes and the retaining plate omitted to more clearly disclose the inner friction wedge shoes. Fig. 4 is a. transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line (1 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the inner wedge friction shoes. And Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the outer friction wedge shoes.

In said drawings7 lO-l() denote channel draft sills of a railway car to the inner faces of whichare Vsecured front stop lugs 11-11 and rear stop lugs 12-12. A portion of a draw bar is indicated at 13, thesame being operatively associated with the shock absorbing mechanism proper by being connected to the hooded yoke 14. The .shock absorbing mechanism proper and the follower 15 are disposed within the yoke, all of said parts being supported in operative position by a detachable saddle plate 16.

The improved shock absorbing mechanism proper, as shown, comprises a. combined friction shell and spring cage casting A, a spring resistance B, a series ofouter wedge .friction 'shoes-C-C a series of inner ,wedge friction shoes D-D, a wedge E and a retaining bolt F.

The casting A, as shown, is of the rectangular form, having top and bottom walls 17-17 and side walls 18-18. At the front or outer end of the casting, the interior thereof is provided with four friction surfaces 19 on th-e inner faces of the walls 17- 17 and 18-18, said surfaces converging appreciably inwardly of the shell. Inwardly of the friction surfaces the casting A. provides a cage or casing for the spring resistance and the rear end of the casting is laterallyrextended at opposite sides as indicated at 11S-119 so as to co-operate in the manner of a rear follower with the usual rear stop lugs 12-12.

Two series of friction shoes are employed, each provided with wedge faces and the slices of one series adapted to co-operate directly with the shoes of the other series. The outer series of shoes C-C are four inl number, each of rectangular cross section. The shoes C'-i C are disposed diagonally of the friction shell, that is, each shoe Cr is located in a corner of the shell, as clearly indicated in Figures 2, 3 and 4:. Each of said shoes C is formed on the outer end with a fiat bearing face 20, adapted to coact with and be engaged by the front follower 15. On its outer side, eachy shoe G is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending friction surfaces 21-21 at right angles to each other and sloped to correspond with the taper of the surfaces 19 of the friction shell. Eis will be clear, the two surfaces 21-21 engage with two of the shell friction surfaces at right angles to each other. Each shoe is further provided with a pair of wedge faces 22 22 at right angles toeach other, each of said wedge faces being arranged in inwardly converging relation with reference to the frictionA face 21 on the opposite side of said wedge C. Y

Each of the wedge shoes D on the outer side thereof isI provided with a fiat longitudinal yextending friction face 23 adapted to co-Operate with one of the friction surfaces of the shell and sloped to correspond' with the taper of the surfaces of the friction shell. Each of the shoes D is provided with a pair of .wedge faces 2li-24 correspondingly inclined to the wedge faces` 212-422l of the wedges C, and adapted to directly engage the faces 22 to co-act therewith. The wedge faces 24 of each shoe D are arranged at right angles to the friction face 23 and converge outwardly with reference to the shell as best shown in Figures 3 and 5, terminating in a straight edge 25. The inner ends 26 of the shoes D are of flat triangular shape and the sides of the shoes are cut away on planes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the gear and coinciding with the sides of the triangle of the face 26, thereby providing faces 27 intersecting the wedge faces 24. The four wedges D are thus separated on diagonal lines with reference to the rectangular friction shell. Each of the shoes D is further provided with an interior flat wedge face 28 adapted to co-act with the wedge E. Ihen assembled within the casing, the inner wedge faces 28 of opposite shoes D diverge inwardly of the casing.

The wedge E is of generalv rectangular form in cross section and is provided with four inwardly diverging wedge faces 25) adapted to co-operate with the wedge faces 28 of the shoes D. The wedge E is provided with a flat rear face 30 adapted to form an abutment for the spring resistance.

The spring resistance B consists of an outer relatively heavy coiled spring 31 and a relatively lighter inner coiled spring 32. The spring 31 is interposed between the rear wall of the casting A and the inner ends of the inner series of shoes D. The spring 32 is interposed between a hollow abutment 33 on the rear wall of the casting A and the abutment face 30 of the wedge E.

Theretaining bolt F is adapted tovhold the parts of the gear in assembled relation and has its head anchored within the hollow abutment 33 and extends through the inner coiled spring 32 and through the wedge. E and the space between the wedge friction shoes D. The outer end of the bolt 'F has threaded thereon a nut 34 adapted to hold the washer 35 in engagement with shoulders 3G on the outer ends, of the wedges C. Proper clearance forthe bolt and the nut and washer thereon is provided between the wedgesD and the wedges C. F or this purposethe wedges C are cut out as indicated at 37 and the wedges D are cut out as indicated, at 38, to accommodate the bolt, and as indicated at 39 and 40 respectively to kaccommodate the nut and washer. f

In the operation'of my improved shock absorbing mechanism, during compression, the load will be transmitted through the wedge shoes C and the latter thereby forced inwardly of the shell. As said shoes C travel inwardly of the shell lengthwise thereof, they are forced laterally inwardly on account of the tapered formation of the shell. A wedging action will thus be set up between the wedge faces 22 of the shoes C and the wedge faces 24 of the shoes D. The shoes D will be forced lengthwise `of the shell by the -shoes C, and as said shoes C travel inwardly of the shell, they are also forced laterally inwardly on account of the tapered formation of the shell, creating the major portion of friction between the outer surfaces thereof and inner walls of the shell. In this connection it will be noted that proper clearance is provided between the shoes C, of the outer set by leaving spaces 41 between said shoes, and proper clearance is provided between the shoes D of the inner set by leaving spaces 42 between said shoes D. During the inward movement of the shoes C and D, a wedging action will also be set up between the wedge faces 28 of the shoes D and the wedge faces 29 of the wedge E, the latter being yieldingly opposed by the spring 32. During release of the mechanism, after the actuating force has been removed, the wedges C and D will be restored to normal position by the springs 31 and 32, the spring 32 acting through the wedge E to assist in restoring the shoes D to their normal position.

It will be noted thatby arranging one series of shoes in the corners of the shell and the other series with their friction faces engaging the friction faces of the shell, I utilize substantially the entire area of the friction surfaces of the shell without unduly enlarging the space required to accommodate the friction element within the shell. All of the shoes and the wedge may be manufactured at comparatively small eX- pense, inasmuch as they are provided with flat surfaces on their active faces which make them readily adaptable to finishing operations.

I have herein shown and described what` I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out the invention, but the Same is merely illustrative, and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell having a plurality of independent interior friction surfaces; of a spring resistance; an outer series of pressure transmitting friction shoes, opposed shoes of said series having relatively inwardly diverging wedge faces; and an inner series of friction shoes, each having a pair of wedge faces and' each of said shoes coacting with two of said friction surfaces, and each face of said pair co-acting with one of said opposed diverging wedge faces of said outer shoes. n 4

2. In a friction shock absorbing mechani'sm, the combination with a friction shell having a plurality of distinct interior friction surfaces converging inwardly of the shell; of a spring resistance; an outer series of pressure transmitting wedge shoes, each having a pair of wedge faces extending at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shell; and a series of inner friction shoes, each having a pair of wedge faces,

said last named faces coacting with the wedge faces of the shoes of the first named series, and each of the shoes of one of said series coacting with a pair of said friction surfaces.

3. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell having interior friction surfaces; of a spring resistance; an outer' series of pressure transmitting friction wedge shoes, each having a pair of wedge faces disposed in planes at right angles to each other and in parallel relation to the corresponding friction surfaces; an inner series of wedge friction shoes, each having a pair of wedge faces, each pair of said last named wedge faces being so arranged as to engage with the wedge faces of different pairs of said outer shoes.

4. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a shell having a plurality of separate interior friction surfaces; of a spring resistance; an outer series of pressure transmitting friction Wedge shoes, each of' said shoes having a pair of friction faces engaging adjacent friction surfaces of said shell; and a series of inner friction wedge shoes directly engaging with said first named series of shoes.

5. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell of rectangular cross section having interior friction surfaces; of a spring resistance; an outer series of four pressure transmitting wedge friction shoes, each co-acting with a pair of adjacent friction surfaces of said shell; and a series of four inner friction wedge shoes each co-acting with a friction surface of said shell.

6. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell having interior adjacent friction surfaces disposed at an angle to each other; of a spring resistance; an outer series of pressure transmitting wedge friction shoes each having a pair of friction surfaces disposed at an angle to each other and adapted to co-act with adjacent friction surfaces of said shell; and a series of inner friction wedge shoes co-acting with said outer wedge shoes.

7 In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell of rectangular cross section, having interior friction surfaces; of a spring resistance; an outer series of pressure transmitting wedge friction shoes, each having a pair of friction surfaces co-acting with adjacent friction surfaces of said shell, and a pair of wedge surfaces angularly disposed to each other and inclined to the longitudinal axis of the shell; and an inner series of friction wedge shoes, each having a single friction face co-acting with one of said friction faces of the shell, and a pair of wedge faces angularly disposed to each other and co-acting with the wedge faces of the shoes of said outer series.

8. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell of rectangular cross section having interior friction surfaces; of a spring resistance; an outer series of pressure transmitting friction shoes having wedge faces, said shoes being of rectangular cross section, and co-acting yvith adjacent friction surfaces of said shell; and an inner series of friction shoes having wedge faces co-acting with the wedge faces of said shoes ofthe outer series.

9. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell of rectangular cross section, having interior friction surfaces converging inwardly of the shell; of a spring resistance; an outer series of pressure transmitting friction shoes having wedge faces, said shoes beingrof rectangular cross section and provided with a pair of friction surfaces co-acting with said friction surfaces of said shell; and an inner series of friction shoes having wedge faces co-acting with the wedge faces of said outer series and also provided with a friction face co-acting with a friction face of said shell.

10. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell having interior friction surfaces converging inwardly of the shell; of a spring resistance; an outer series of pressure transmitting friction shoes, opposed shoes of said series having inwardly diverging wedge faces; an inner series of friction shoes each having a pair of wedge faces, each face of said pair co-acting with one of said opposed diverging wedge faces; and an additional wedge for restoring said inner series of shoes to normal position.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of November, 1922.

JOHN F. OCONNOR.

Vitnesses:

FRANCES SAVAGE,

I-I. M. BEAMER. 

